National air and flower ideals spark editorials
A collage of 19th century notes mentions the need for a national air and a national flower, highlights Kentucky’s Mammoth Cave as a fashionable summer retreat, and praises Boston’s horse car system. It also cites rail, warship, education, and international trade data, including Canada’s debt, English rail bonds, and Alaska’s fur trade, with various forecasts and observations from multiple publications. The collection reflects broad curiosities and comparisons across nations, economies, and technology.
Will Be Worthy of It Poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
A reflective verse by Ella Wheeler Wilcox contemplates personal effort and virtue despite possible failure or unfulfilled goals. It asserts resolve to pursue worthy aims, embracing the inner light of love and a nameless joy even through hardship.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Ella Wheeler Wilcow
Serenade Sparks Rumor of Martin Paley and Louisa
In a village tale Matty Hall pursues a steady courtship while Louisa Peckham mulls a quiet marriage to Martin Paley. A street serenade by an organ grinder reveals hidden affections, sparking jealousy and a late wedding that upends expectations.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Martin
Louisy
Louisa
Annie Laurie
Sweet Home
Twickenham Ferry
Grandmother Peckham
Paley Farm
Matty Hall
Remain Forever Unsolved Haunting Fate of Mrs Paley
A fragment notes that Matilda Hall never learns why she failed to marry Martin Pa ley, a line from Saturday Night reflecting a lingering unresolved romance and a life moment lost to fate.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Matilda Hall
Martin Paley
Fish Color and Aquarium Habits Across Species
The color of fish is strongly influenced by light exposure in aquariums. Small-mouthed black bass brighten and darken with light, channel catfish shift to a pale blue green then blue black, and Mammoth Cave catfish are transparent after prolonged light deprivation. Small-mouthed bass are noted as hardy and ideal for tanks, while large-mouthed bass struggle in aquarium life. Carp are tolerably active but often outcompeted for food.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Mammoth Cave
The Shah of Persia’s Museum Displays Riches and Oddities
The Persian Shah’s palace museum showcases priceless jewels and treasures, including the Peacock throne seized from Delhi and agate vases worth millions. Mixed with luxury items are cheap perfume bottles, ordinary trinkets, and a vast display of rubies, diamonds, and pearls, highlighting both opulence and oddities.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Persia
Delhi
Persian Gulf
How Kitty Johnson Put Three Dudes in Line
Idle trio tease a girl in a street car and are publicly rebuked when she retorts with a sharp tale of their jail time. The scene ends with applause from fellow passengers as the car moves on.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Grip
Kitty Johnson
Kitty
Tom
Harry
Chicago Journal
Tar Coating for Mosquito Protection Instructions
A method advises boiling a quart of tar until thin and applying a smooth coat to the body with a broad brush. While soft, insects entangle in the tar and become harmless. it then forms a hard coating impervious to bites. Retouch cracks at joints and reseal the coat every four weeks.
Two Degrees of Cleanliness Chronicles An Anglo Indian Dishonest Banter
A satirical tale contrasts kitchens of an Anglo Indian household and a neighbor with an Indian chief. The Indian chef Chang cleans his pots while the neighbor’s Chinese cook is praised for cleanliness. A punchline about meals leads to a discharged cook and a joke about leftovers.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Chang
How to Protect Clothing From Moths and Make Soap
A 19th century guide explains moth prevention using wool odors, cedar smells, and airtight storage. It also provides recipes for homemade soaps from scraps, nursery soap, and stained ink removal cakes, plus simple dishes like Trish Stew, Mayonnaise Dressing, Cold Cottage Pudding, and Veal Patties with steps and ingredients.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Reaumur
Castile
The Ruling Passion
Dialogue exchanges reveal a tense scene where a desperate suitor taunts Cold Beauty with a dynamite threat to force a marriage, while Cold Beauty mocks Miss Pert and Frihair. Fanny and Emma discuss reconciling past enmities after a party, noting a change in Mrs Frizhair’s appearance.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Cold Beauty
Miss Pert
Fanny
Emma
Mrs. Frizhair
Eiffel Tower petticoats and Empress as seamstress influence
Paris shops hawk Eiffel Tower petticoats with a front light panel for the third platform badge. The Empress of Germany leads a busy sewing life, overseeing children's garments and choosing hats, while a dirigible notes on wardrobe hygiene and pockets in the common sense directoire style.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Eiffel Tower
Eiffel
Paris
Germany
Chicago Herald
Uitder
Chicago
Lick's Flour Palace Tale Of A Millionaire's Mill
James D. Lick, the California benefactor, never married yet built a mahogany clad mill after vying for a miller's daughter in Pennsylvania. Once rich, he fulfilled a boast by constructing a luxury mill, sending photos to the father who once dismissed him.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
James D. Lick
California
Shakespeare
Pennsylvania
Lick
Baltimors American
Music Unites Californians After Conquest Promoted by Band
In post conquest California a naval band plays daily at sunset in Los Angeles plaza to reconcile Spaniards and Indians. Proclamations offer protection, but villagers first hide. An old mission priest calls music more potent than bayonets, while children and ranchers gather, inspired by the concert in the plaza. A boy jokes about selling medicine bottles as sugar ribs.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Bancroft
California
United States
Los Angeles
Cal
Phelps
Mission of
San Gabriel
Spain
Silent strength and self culture in moral progress
An idle reason lessens the weight of earlier good deeds while inward strength rests in silence. True manhood grows from self culture not external training, and liberty is protected only by personal integrity. Individual effort, not crowd influence, earns respect and bread through hard work.
Cats at tea with ribbons and playful mischief
A New York girl hosts a five oclock tea for cats inviting friends to bring their felines. Cats wear ribbons, play with toy mice, and share milk and small cakes under mistress care. Vigorously tested by friendly paw slaps, they cleanly lap milk and nibble treats before departing with a catnip sprig memento.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
New York
Gir
Isoft Balla
Ierieve
Also Mentioned on This Page
The
New Orleans Picayune
Kentucky
Chicago Sea
Boston
America
Metezi
Stanley Pool
Africa
Russia
Empire
London Army and Navy Gazette
Portsmouth Dockyard
Fremona
Quebec
Canada
New York Ledger
Christendom
St. Louis
London
Elison
Lieutenant Dhanis
Belgium
Upper Congo
Leopoldville
Matahdi
Dhanis
Brooklyn Eagle
Hook
Crock
Alaska
Seal Islands
Alaskan
New York Times
England
Wales
England and
Matty
Mrs. Tall
Mrs. Peckham
Mrs. Hall
Medder
Matilda
Mra Hall
Mra Peckham
Louise
Granny
Matty Hig
Matilda Halls
Consid
Jones
Smith
TS OF Soap
Sorrento
Sweden
New York Star
Dakota
Lizzie Duffield
South Dakota
Harold
Hyde County
Aulkton
Miss Dauffield
Detroi Free Press
Fashion Notes
Sarah
Victoria
Lick’s Flour Palace
BecarEss
Shower
Tale
Astorn
Malcom Douglass
St. Michelan
Polly
Rover
Picnica
Colm
Pilly
Himalayas
Sitka
Iceland
Busnes Ayren
Hamburg
Buenos Ayres
This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!